De stal van herberg 't Molentje buiten de Utrechtse poort 1810

Anthonie van den Bos created this etching, titled 'The Stable of the Inn 't Molentje' outside the Utrecht Gate, sometime around the late 18th or early 19th century. The print offers a glimpse into the daily life of a tavern, complete with its inhabitants. It’s easy to see the inn as a social hub; a place where different walks of life intersected, and the negotiation of social hierarchies and the performance of gender roles played out. The men, seemingly engaged in commerce or conversation at the table, stand in contrast to the women in the background, who are quietly occupied with domestic tasks. The children present also evoke complex issues of labor and social mobility. What opportunities were available to them, and how were their lives shaped by their social circumstances? Van den Bos's etching prompts reflection on the lives and labor of ordinary people in the 18th and 19th centuries, revealing the intricate tapestry of their society.